Mediate.com Forum

As a teacher in the Detroit Board Public School, I must say that there is a growing need for peer mentorship groups and conflict resolution strategies, aimed at young children. The disturbance at Columbine, is syptomatic of what is taking place across our nation. We simply must develop ways and means to help these children deal with thier conflicts. It is a major undertaking that is needed to turn this tide, however the problem seems to be overlooked and we are paying the price for it with our children's lives.

Please support my efforts at www.kidcopublishing.com

Michael

I am a school Teacher for the Detroit Public Schools, and I have noticed a distinct rise (all over the nation) of children who try to resolve thier differences by fighting. Ther is a better way, but the children  must be taught, and this teaching must be reinforced over and over. I have written a story that helps teachers and parents indulge thier children in this subject. It is the story of a very clever dragon who is pursued by a knight. The dragon goes to school and learns of a very effective why to deal with this problem without violence. Very entertaing and meaningful. Teachers and parents rave over this story. I am introducing it to you because of your interest in mediation. We must teach them while they are young. Please visit my site at www.kidcopublishing.com and pass the link to a friend.

Michael

I work for Marin County Mediation Services, which is the community mediation center for Marin County (CA).  All of our staff except the legal process specialist actively mediate and conciliate cases.  So we are paid to do mediations.  I understand that most community centers (many of which are non-profits -- we are a county agency) only pay staff to do administrative work and all mediations are done by volunteers.  I highly recommend Marin Mediations' system, which is also advantageous to disputants because staff is available every day to follow up on cases.  Volunteers are here at most a few hours a week and/or specifially to attend a mediation that has already been set up. 

We do use volunteers extensively, both to give landlord/tenant information on the phone (one of our services) and to do mediations, usually paired with a staff member.

I think that most Community Mediation Centers have put in place a sliding scale for mediation services, but are still using unpaid mediators.  Many Courts however still beleive that at least a portion of a mediators services should be volunteered. How can we change this mindset? Or does this work for the Field?

What is the message being sent to consumers of mediation services?